Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Meta

Get Yourself a Web Page

Maybe you have found yourself in this situation? Services that get you a web page up fast make it seem like it’s very difficult and expensive. It doesn’t have to be, let’s see how easy it is!

First we’re going to list the 3 items you will need, then we will get into how to acquire these components. Finally we learn how to bring it all together.

A URL. This acronym stands for uniform resource locator, and knowing that shows you why the acronym is used. This is also known as a web address or domain name. An example of a URL is secondseven.ca or google.com

Hosting. Hosting is the actual space your files take up. A Hosting service not only provides hard disc space, but provides it on a machine which is always on and accessible to your website visitors.

Files. This is your actual website. These can be made of of many file types working together, and is frequently created by a professional. You can purchase professionally made, easy-to-use templates, commission a designer to complete a custom site, or use a web site building service.

Now that we have an gentle introduction to what makes up a website, let’s look more closely at where you would get each of these pieces.

Your URL. Domain name registration is offered by both large companies and individual brokers. Whoever sells you your domain got it from an organisation called ICANN who regulates web addresses. Every registered domain requires an owner’s name and their street address to be publicly available in something called the “WHOIS” database. Many registrars, like Second Seven, sell a service to hide your information from public view by providing the registrar’s address rather than your own. This is most frequently done by individual domain owners, businesses won’t find that privacy necessary.

Domain are typically sold on a yearly basis. Once you have registered a domain, you get the first priority to renew it every year and you can move it to and from any registrar you choose according to their terms and conditions. It really is your name.

Your Hosting. If you have a computer, then technically you can be your own host. For most this is not a viable option. A professional web host like Second Seven uses specialised computers called ‘servers’ that have better power consumption and can handle high traffic with reliability. Hosting is typically sold with 2 parameters: The first is hard drive space, the second is amount of bandwidth. For example, a plan which advertised 1GB disk space and 10GB bandwidth means the size of your files on your site cannot exceed 1GB, while the website traffic, uploads, and downloads are covered by the 10GB of bandwidth.

Your Files. You may have heard of the file type “html,” or “hypertext mark-up language.” This is the typical file type your website will be, but not always, and will often be accompanied by many other supporting files providing style (css) and functionality (javascript.) Because of the specialized knowledge required to build web pages, most people rely on professionals or professional services to write their websites files.

Many people create their website on WordPress, known for their intuitive interface, and excellent community support. WordPress is an open source service that can be installed anywhere, including your Second Seven hosted website. Others choose to use a professional template. This works by being sold the files, and a license to use the files for yourself, you then complete your own information, then save the files with your host. Second Seven can provide help and support for those who wish to use this option. For those with a bigger budget or more specific needs, choosing a custom designed site might be for you.

Now we know everything

Bringing it all together can be a little tedious, but if you can navigate your computers files and folders, you will be able to understand what’s going on. In most cases though, you will want a professional who can set everything up quickly and accurately. The process involves saving your files to the server, and telling your registrar to show visitors to your site files from your space on the server. Typically, your web host (including Second Seven) will handle this for you for free or for a customary fee, depending on the circumstance.